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/asˈθɛnə(ʊ)sfɪə/ · noun
(geology) A portion of the Earth's upper mantle, below the lithosphere..
Holonyms: upper mantle, outer mantle < mantle < Earth
To say that the lithosphere floats on top of the asthenosphere suggests a degree of easy buoyancy that isn't quite right.
The asthenosphere that underlies the surface plates is not liquid in any vernacular sense, although it is relatively plastic.
Use asthenosphere when its meaning, tone and grammar fit the full sentence. A synonym is not always a direct replacement.
Asthenosphere means (geology) A portion of the Earth's upper mantle, below the lithosphere..
The closest synonym depends on the sentence and intended sense.
The opposite depends on the specific sense.
Holonyms: upper mantle, outer mantle < mantle < Earth
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